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Interested in sports cars for
years, I have long been aware of dynamometer engine testing,
understanding early on the difference between power measured
at the flywheel and power measured at the wheels. I have seen
photos of engines and cars 'on the dyno', but never had the chance
to see a test in action, much less participate in one!
 In
the cold early February of 2003, I received a regular email announcement
from the Southeast Michigan chapter of Lotus Limited, of which
I am a member and attendee of events as they fit my schedule
and/or budget. This email was announcing a winter meeting of
the club, which was to be a breakfast and tour of the Lotus Engineering
facility in Ann Arbor, Michigan. I had noticed the Lotus facility
in the past, traveling in or out of Ann Arbor, and even stopped
in once to find out what goes on there. I understood that they
were an engine testing facility, offering engine and drivetrain
testing and development services to the automotive industry.
The interesting bit about the tour, however, was that as a demonstration,
Lotus Engineering were offering to put two cars on their rolling
road for a sample measure of power output at the wheels. The
email indicated that they already had a 1969 Elan lined up but
that they were hoping for a Seven as a second demonstrator...
photo above: Christmas, 2002
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